Barabbas

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

This 1962 Biblical epic was adapted by Christopher Fry from the novel by Par Lagerkvist. Anthony Quinn stars as Barabbas, the thief who was pardoned in place of Jesus. For the rest of his life, the guilt-ridden criminal tries to justify his existence and to determine his place in the scheme of things. Along the way he encounters the self-righteous pomposity of Pontius Pilate (Arthur Kennedy), the stoning of Sara (Katy Jurado), the gladiatorial sadism of Torvald (Jack Palance), and the burning of Rome. The film's unbilled Christ is played by Roy Magnano, the brother of Quinn's second-billed costar Silvia Mangano. Watch for the genuine solar eclipse during the Crucifixion sequence, an effect that director Richard Fleischer spent several days preparing for. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Subtitle: Mult Sub
• Audio: Dolby Digital Surround
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Cinemascope)
• Features:
  • Digitally mastered audio & anamorphic video
  • Remastered in hi-definition
  • Widescreen presentation
  • Audio: English 4.0 (Discrete Surround)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Interactive menus
  • Scene selections

AWARDS

• National Board of Review

•     Nominated Best Foreign Film - 1962

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Anthony Quinn - Barabbas
       Silvana Mangano - Rachel
       Arthur Kennedy - Pontius Pilate
       Jack Palance - Torvald
       Harry Andrews - Peter
       Ernest Borgnine - Lucius
       Arnoldo Foa - Joseph of Arimathea
       Laurence Payne - Disciple
       Michael Gwynn - Lazarus
       Norman Wooland - Rufio
       Ivan Triesault - Emperor
       Roy Mangano - Christ
       Joe Robinson - Gladiator
       Carlo Giustini

• Director:

  Richard Fleischer

• Producer:

  Dino de Laurentiis

• Screenwriter:

  Nigel Balchin, Christopher Fry, Ivo Perilli, Diego Fabbri

• Book Author:

  Pär Lagerkvist

• Dialogue Writer:

  Salvatore Quasimodo

• Cinematographer:

  Aldo Tonti

• Composer (Music Score):

  Mario Nascimbene

• Editor:

  Ray Poulton

• Production Designer:

  Mario Chiari

• Costume Designer:

  Maria de Matteis

REVIEW:

• Overlong and at times ponderous, Barabbas has the look and ambition of classic Biblical epics, but it lacks the life and vitality necessary to break into the top ranks of that genre. Barabbas is not a bad film of its kind; it simply doesn't rank up there with The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur. The fault certainly doesn't lay with its star. Anthony Quinn gives a commanding performance, albeit one limited by an inferior script. Still, epics of this sort don't call for carefully nuanced character explorations; they call for someone who can take hold of the film and never let go, and Quinn fills that role admirably. If Quinn occasionally goes a bit over the top, that's almost really to be expected. There's also some fun scenery chewing by Jack Palance, and some game attempts from Arthur Kennedy and Vittorio Gassman to help keep things moving. The cast gets no help from the screenplay, which is short on logic and characterization, and long on dull dialogue and ineffective repetition. Richard Fleischer's direction is too uneven to make up for the script deficiencies; he does very well with some sequences, including the stunning real-life solar eclipse sequence and the gladiator segment, but on others things fall flat. And pacing is an issue, especially in the middle section. Even with its flaws, there's enough spectacle and fanfare to keep fans of the genre interested. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi